Yass Police Station has welcomed new Inspector Matthew Hinton this week. His first day was on Monday, May 13. Inspector Hinton is the officer in charge of Yass and Crookwell Police Stations. His role covers Yass Valley and out to Jugiong, as well as parts of Upper Lachlan Shire. He is currently living in Yass and his wife and two young children will join him from Taree on the Mid North Coast in July. Their children will go to one of the local schools in town. "I think it's important to live in town to have that connection to the community," Inspector Hinton said. Inspector Hinton said he feels "lucky to be here". "I'm lucky to have a position at a very good station with very good leaders including Sergeant Amanda Watt and Sergeant David Cowell and good local police officers," he said. Sergeant Cowell has been the Acting Inspector at Yass and Crookwell Police Stations since Inspector Alison Brennan left around November 2018. Inspector Hinton thanked Sergeant Cowell for his work over the past six months. "It's a hard gig and there has been many a long hour spent at the station. I'm very grateful to Sergeant Cowell for providing a solid platform for me to start from," Inspector Hinton said. Inspector Hinton was previously at Taree Police Station as a Sergeant in Manning-Great Lakes Police District for six years. He was 21 years old when he joined the police force, graduating from New South Wales Police Academy in Goulburn. "You rarely saw the local police where I grew up and I wanted to be visible to the community and a part of the community to make people feel safer," Inspector Hinton said. Inspector Hinton grew up on the coast near Port Macquarie. His first foray into the police force was at Bankstown, Sydney before moving to Bourke in the north-west of NSW. He later returned closer to Coffs Harbour when he was stationed at Yamba as the lock-up keeper. Inspector Hinton hopes to build a strong working relationship with Yass Valley and Crookwell communities. "Without the community providing the information we can only respond to crime, we can't prevent it. Our job is to make NSW and the community safer, but we can only do that with information from you," he said. Inspector Hinton also wishes to put a stop to road accidents. "My message is that the cost of road trauma is unbearable to family and loved ones of those lost," Inspector Hinton said. "It is also a cost to the community and emergency services. We may be used to dealing with trauma on the side of the road but the job becomes difficult when we start dealing with loved ones," he said. Inspector Hinton wants to focus on preventative measures including educating drivers about the risks of driving while using mobile devices and driving with fatigue. He will also be organising police activities including speed enforcement, back road operations, drug and alcohol testing to prevent road trauma.

He is currently living in Yass and his wife and two young children will join him from Taree on the Mid North Coast in July.

Their children will go to one of the local schools in town.

"I think it's important to live in town to have that connection to the community," Inspector Hinton said.

Inspector Hinton said he feels "lucky to be here".

"I'm lucky to have a position at a very good station with very good leaders including Sergeant Amanda Watt and Sergeant David Cowell and good local police officers," he said.

Sergeant Cowell has been the Acting Inspector at Yass and Crookwell Police Stations since Inspector Alison Brennan left around November 2018.

Inspector Hinton thanked Sergeant Cowell for his work over the past six months.

"It's a hard gig and there has been many a long hour spent at the station. I'm very grateful to Sergeant Cowell for providing a solid platform for me to start from," Inspector Hinton said.

Inspector Hinton was previously at Taree Police Station as a Sergeant in Manning-Great Lakes Police District for six years.

He was 21 years old when he joined the police force, graduating from New South Wales Police Academy in Goulburn.

"You rarely saw the local police where I grew up and I wanted to be visible to the community and a part of the community to make people feel safer," Inspector Hinton said.

Inspector Hinton grew up on the coast near Port Macquarie.

His first foray into the police force was at Bankstown, Sydney before moving to Bourke in the north-west of NSW. He later returned closer to Coffs Harbour when he was stationed at Yamba as the lock-up keeper.

Inspector Hinton hopes to build a strong working relationship with Yass Valley and Crookwell communities.

"Without the community providing the information we can only respond to crime, we can't prevent it. Our job is to make NSW and the community safer, but we can only do that with information from you," he said.

Inspector Hinton also wishes to put a stop to road accidents.

"My message is that the cost of road trauma is unbearable to family and loved ones of those lost," Inspector Hinton said.

"It is also a cost to the community and emergency services. We may be used to dealing with trauma on the side of the road but the job becomes difficult when we start dealing with loved ones," he said.

Inspector Hinton wants to focus on preventative measures including educating drivers about the risks of driving while using mobile devices and driving with fatigue.

He will also be organising police activities including speed enforcement, back road operations, drug and alcohol testing to prevent road trauma.